The Oregon Student Association is resolutely in support of protecting reproductive healthcare access for students across Oregon and the nation.

House Bill 2835 requires each of Oregon’s public universities and community colleges to have employees to help students access aid programs.

By Meerah Powell - OPB

The Oregon Legislature passed a bill Tuesday focused on strengthening the autonomy and authority of public college and university student governments over their financial decisions. House Bill 3012 affirms the power student governments have over student fee money that is used to fund various campus programs and services, by clarifying language in an existing state statute.

By Meerah Powell - OPB

The Oregon House Committee on Education Thursday discussed three bills related to making public the price of course materials before the start of the term, prominently displaying the price and breakdown of administratively-controlled mandatory fees, and clarifying the role of student government in its authority and autonomy over its budget.

By Meerah Powell - OPB

House Bill 2835 would fund a “benefits navigator” position at every community college and public university in Oregon

By Meerah Powell - OPB

The Oregon Student Association is championing HB 2919 in the 2021 state legislative session, which would require public universities and community colleges “to prominently display total costs of all required course materials and fees” during course registration for most classes.

By Leo Baudhuin - The Daily Emerald

“The Associated Students of Western Oregon University, or ASWOU, in conjunction with the Oregon Student Association and Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, are looking to close legal loopholes that they say have caused delays, conflicts and confusion between students and university administrations at numerous public universities in Oregon. At issue is control over decisions governing the collection of student fees and spending on vital campus services.”

By Meerah Powell - OPB

The Oregon Student Association worked on a number of issues important to our students, including campus food and housing insecurity, clear pathways for transfer credits, non-discrimination policies, and the creation of an underrepresented student taskforce. The following report highlights the different bills the Oregon Student Association worked on this session.

Written by Emily Wanous

The Oregon Student Association had a successful 2019 legislative session in terms of policy and faced challenges in the budget that we were able to secure.

Written by Perla Alvarez

The State of Oregon has been leaving students to foot the bill for public higher education for too long. It’s time for the state of Oregon to show up and put their money with their mouth is. Oregon’s debt to students is past due.

The Oregon Student Association had a successful short session passing 10 of 12 priority issues.

This is a sad day for Oregon, especially the many undocumented students OSA works for. Today, the Trump administration announced the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program. The DACA program has served as a critical lifeline for nearly 11,000 immigrants in the state of Oregon.

On 7/7/17 the Oregon Legislature passed resolutions to Sine Die, otherwise known as adjourn session. This report is a snapshot of the student victories and missed opportunities. Students were at the center of Oregon politics and were represented at the capitol every day. We have over 150 students at our lobby days, over 130 in person student testimonies, over 150 written student testimonies and over 350 calls to legislative offices. The power of this advocacy has helped us to advance our agenda as an association. Here are some of the results of student advocacy.

Written by Lamar Wise

OSA Capitol Updates from January 2017 to June 2017

Written by Lamar Wise

It has been a tremendously busy time at the capitol for students this session. After students registered and educated nearly 50,000 of their peers this past fall, we came out in full force for the 2017 long legislative session.

Written by Lamar Wise

The Oregon Student Association started off the session with a successful lobby day. Since then, Students have been in the building every day testifying and lobbying on our priority issues. This short session has been an extremely busy one, as members debate the minimum wage, housing, and balancing the budget. There is still about two and a half weeks left of session, which means we will have a short amount of time to get the rest of our bills through! Below is an update on where our bills are at currently.

Many Oregonians are excluded from the voting process because of the requirement of postage stamps on ballots. As leading nonprofits working to register, educate and mobilize young voters, Oregon Student Association and the Bus Project are working together to find real solutions to barriers to the ballot. This short session, we have an opportunity to pass a bill that has a real and sensible solution to an urgent problem.

Written by Mario Parker-Milligan and Nikki Fisher

This has been a great legislative session for Oregon college students! We have passed ALL of our top priority policy bills! We have had huge wins and it was all because of the amazing organizing and advocacy work students did this session. Thank you for all your hard work!

Written by Mario Parker-Milligan

The legislative session is now half way through and Oregon Students have a lot to show for it.  All of our top priority legislative policies are alive and moving, several 2nd chamber hearings are scheduled for the coming weeks and most of our 2nd priority bills are moving as well.  All of this is possible because of the amazing work students did last year to register, educate and turn out students to vote AND because students keep showing up in Salem to display authentic advocacy. 

Written by Mario Parker-Milligan

Oregon students attended the Ways and Means Education Subcommittee’s university budget hearing in Salem today and the community college budget hearing last week to advocate for more accessible and affordable higher education. They asked committee members to restore funding for university and community college budgets and stop the downpour of student debt.